All Articles: Gamescom 2016

Titanfall 2 “Open Multiplayer Technical Test” kicks off this weekend on PS4 and Xbox One

Electronic Arts and Respawn have announced that Titanfall 2‘s Open Beta (which they’re calling an “Open Multiplayer Technical Test”) will be available to download on the PS4 and Xbox One beginning Friday, August 19. Players will be able to battle it out in a pair of modes all weekend long:

Modes

  • Bounty Hunt (5v5): A brand new mode that pits Pilots and their teammates against an opposing team as well as the Remnant Fleet. Earn bonuses by killing grunts and enemies, but make sure and deposit all your points at the bank between waves without getting killed.
  • Pilots vs. Pilots (8v8): Players can be the best Pilot on the Frontier and put their combat and mobility skills to the ultimate test in this classic 8 vs 8 Pilots only mode.

Maps

  • Boomtown: A secret underground IMC facility where the latest in R&D is put to the test. In this facility Pilots can use the many peaked roofs to use as cover against combatants below. With tight lanes through the middle, Titans can also be easily ambushed.
  • Homestead: The IMC have claimed Imminent Domain on a small commune’s plot of land. With a series of raised, rocky plateaus and a river running down the middle, Pilots are mostly safe from Titans among the rocks and trees but they also can duck into the caves and building when needed. However, the Titans control the large rolling fields.

Players will be able to take part in Titanfall 2’s “Open Multiplayer Technical Test” for a second weekend beginning on Friday, August 26. In addition to the modes and maps from the first weekend, Respawn will add another mode and map for players to try out:

Mode

  • Amped Hardpoint (6v6): A new twist on Hardpoint Domination from the original game; now defending a Hardpoint will let you amp it, giving your team double score. Team work is the key to securing victory.

Map

  • Forward Base Kodai: Militia forces have taken over an IMC substation and set up a forward operating base. Pilots can find safety from Titans in the hallways and chambers of the main building, while Titans can walk over the roof to get a better view of the action.

Respawn plans to use Titanfall 2’s “Open Multiplayer Technical Test” to showcase some of the game’s new features including two brand new Titans (Ion and Scorch), as well as a few tactical abilities for Pilots including the Grapple GVun, Holo Point, and Pulse Blade. And for players who want to go in guns blazing, Respawn will include a variety of weapons including the Masttiff (“a deadly horizontal spread shotgun”) and the Alternator (“a dual-barrel SMG”).

Finally, if you’re interested in a look at the first live multiplayer stream for Titanfall 2, check out a replay of today’s pre-Gamescom livestream at Twitch.

Titanfall 2 will be released for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on October 28.

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CoD: Infinite Warfare’s Zombies Mode goes back to the 80s with “Zombies In Spaceland”

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare‘s single-player campaign is blasting off for outer space, so it seems rather fitting that the game’s co-op Zombies Mode is going to Spaceland. Revealed today in a brand new trailer (which is embedded above), Infinity Ward is putting their spin on the famed Zombies Mode with an 80s-set adventure titled “Zombies In Spaceland.”

And to help set an appropriately 80s mood, Paul “Pee-Wee Herman” Reubens and David Hasselhoff will make an appearance in “Zombies In Spaceland” alongside a comedic ensemble cast, as confirmed by the Activision Games Blog:

Zombies in Spaceland tells the story of four aspiring actors who come upon a mysterious movie theater for an audition. They’ve been invited by director Willard Wyler, portrayed with voice and likeness by Paul Reubens, who was once the shining star of the horror genre. Unbeknownst to the actors, they will be transformed into the movie characters onscreen and transported straight into Wyler’s film to fight against an all-new variety of zombies in an 80s theme park.

You’ll play as one of four 80s movie-inspired characters: The Jock, The Nerd, The Valley Girl, or The Rapper. The characters are voiced by a comedic ensemble cast, including Seth Green, Ike Barinholtz, Jay Pharoah, and Sasheer Zamata.

To guide you through the onslaught of the undead (while providing a killer soundtrack as you battle), you’ll want to keep an eye out for the Spaceland DJ, portrayed with voice and likeness by David Hasselhoff. He’s sure to be an invaluable resource to help you get you out of this horror movie alive.

Players who pre-order Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare will receive a bonus package of zombie-hunting gear courtesy of the Zombies In Spaceland Pack, which will contain a Zombies Weapon Camo and Reticle, an Animated Zombies Playercard, and a Fate & Fortune Card Pack. But if you want to get a good look at “Zombies In Spaceland” before you put your money down, tune in to Activision’s reveal stream tomorrow at 12:00 noon (Eastern Time) on Twitch.

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare will be released for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on November 4.

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Nordic Games fully rebrands themselves as THQ Nordic

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THQ is back (sort of)!

After acquiring the company’s trademark in 2014, Nordic Games has announced a plan to rebrand the entire company as THQ Nordic. The publisher has issued a surprisingly amusing statement about the name change, which also looks back to their humble beginnings and rather bright future:

It all started out in Sweden in 2008 as a mini-venture to self-publish such illustrious titles like Dance Party Club Hits, Kart Racer, and Truck Racer (just to name a few) on PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Wii. The following year, we landed We Sing, a million-plus selling karaoke franchise for Nintendo Wii. In 2011, with our first of many acquisitions to come, Nordic Games began its transformation from small scale, two-platform games publisher to a multi-platform, multi-genre global player.

One could say the most defining moment for our company happened in 2013, grabbing headlines like; “Who the FUCK is Nordic Games?”, “Darksiders Gets Bought By… Nordic Games?”, and “Nordic Games explains who the F they are, plans for THQ assets”. Funny enough, back then, this was so true. Until that point, we had been a low profile publisher uttering expletives of our own along the way, and all of a sudden we found ourselves in the international gaming media spotlight. We knew then, with great certainty, that we’d just made the best deal in our company´s history.

THQ Nordic currently has 23 games in development, “the majority of [which] are based on former THQ owned IPs and franchises.” More than a dozen of these games have yet to be announced, but its possible they may make an appearance at this year’s Gamescom convention. THQ Nordic will have a large presence at the event, which kicks off next Wednesday, August 17.

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Square Enix will bring “new announcements and reveals” and 15 playable demos to Gamescom 2016

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The Comic-Con booth has been broken down, so it’s on to the next Summer showcase for Square Enix. This morning, the publisher announced they’ll have 15 titles on display at this year’s Gamescom convention, which will kick off in Cologne, Germany on August 19.

Square Enix plans to have a massive presence on the show floor including multiple booths packed with more than 220 demo stations and totaling 1,100 square meters of space. These screens will be equipped with many of the company’s 2016 and 2017 offerings including Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, Dragon Quest Builders, Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age, Final Fantasy XV, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, and World of Final Fantasy . A portion of the booth will also be devoted to “Square Enix Collective” titles, and another section will tout the publisher’s “new announcements and reveals.”

What are they announcing? We’ll have to wait until August to find out for sure, but for now, you can peruse Square Enix’s complete Gamescom lineup after the break. (more…)

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Bandai Namco will bring “a new property for a western audience” to Gamescom 2016

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Bandai Namco has announced that they’ll have three games available for attendees of this year’s Gamescom in Cologne, Germany. As you might have guessed, the publisher will be showing off Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 (which will be available this October) and Tekken 7 (which is scheduled for an Early 2017 release), but they also plan to unveil “a new [intellectual property] for a western audience.”

What could it be? We’ll have to wait for Gamescom to kick off this August to know for sure, but for now, here’s what Bandai Namco had to say about Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 and Tekken 7:

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 lets players dive into the largest and most detailed Dragon Ball world in any videogame of the franchise so far. They have the chance to meet the anime series’ popular characters and become part of the story. On-site, visitors can show off their battle prowess in thrilling fights and explore the huge new hub city!

In Tekken 7 fans will become witness to the epic climax of the Mishima feud and participate in fierce duels with their friends and rivals. The legendary fighting game series will return for its decisive battle in early 2017. Visitors can join the fight and experience the best looking Tekken game ever beforehand at Gamescom!

Bandai Namco will set up shop at Gamescom this year in Booth B20 in Hall 8.

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